Twisted (30 page)

"What did she want?"

Don't lie. Don't lie. Don't lie
...
but I promised!
  “She's
having a really bad hair day and is pretty upset about it.  She asked if I would
come over to help her out."

"I wonder why she called you?" he said, honestly
stunned.

Secrets will murder your relationship.

"I don't know.  I guess Sam must have been busy."

"Busy sleeping maybe.  Since when did you and Maddie
become best friends?" he asked sarcastically.

"Now there’s a stretch.  We're not
best friends.
 Ever
since the Southwind, we've kind of just reached a sort of understanding I
guess."

"I hope that understanding doesn't start calling you
every morning at this hour."

"No, I think it's safe to say this is a special
incident.  I promise to tell you more later." 
There…not a total lie.

"Okay, I'll drop you off at her place then and you can
drive in with her later," Edwin suggested.  "I wanted to get in to
the office extra early this morning anyway."

Maddie would be incredibly disappointed if she knew Edwin
drove me over.  Hysterical and tear-ridden, she was also in no shape to drive.

"It's okay.  I can drive myself," I said.  I walked
over to my dresser and could feel Edwin's curious eyes on me.  I opened my top
drawer and dug around in it, as deceit stabbed at my lower back with a large,
heavy ice pick.

"You sure?" he asked curiously.

"Yeah, I'll see you at work."  I pulled out my
panties and dropped them onto my dresser.

"Okay," Edwin agreed, stepping toward me cautiously. 
He kissed me quickly on the lips and I watched his amazing ass disappear out
the door.  He knew something was up and I couldn't bear to face him again,
until I could give him an explanation.

I sprang from my room and slipped into the bathroom before
Edwin could catch me.  I closed the door quietly behind me and, despite my urge
to lock the door, I knew it would bite me in the ass later if Edwin had
noticed.  We never lock each other out.  I cranked the shower on hot and
stripped from my night clothes.  I stepped out of the pile beneath me and
dragged open the curtain.  Steam escaped from the shower and I hurried inside
to retain some of the vapour.  Though I had promised Maddie I would be quick, a
good 30 minutes passed before I finally retrieved myself from the bathtub.

 Another 15 minutes spent on hair and makeup assured me that
Edwin would be long gone.  I crept out of the room, just in case and tip-toed
to my bedroom.  All was quiet in the house, as I dressed for work.  It was
supposed to be a scorcher, so I pulled on a thin grey pencil skirt and
short-sleeved white blouse.  I tugged a light sweater off its hanger, knowing
the office was always extra cold on days like these, and hustled downstairs.

A chocolate-chip granola bar and bottle of orange juice would
have to suffice for breakfast, since it was all my kitchen had to offer on the
run.  I yanked my keys off of their hook and dangled my handbag from my forearm. 
As I slipped on my last shoe, I heard noises coming from my driveway, and was
struck with the realization that Edwin may not have left the building.  I
carefully pulled the window covering oh so slightly aside to find Edwin getting
in his truck.  The engine rumbled as he turned it on, but he was taking his
good old time with his a/c and music selection.

Edwin was definitely a morning person; relaxing,
appreciating, enjoying and taking complete pleasure out of the simple things in
life.  After minutes of observing him, he unexpectedly looked up at the house. 
I removed my unprotected eye from the window and waited to learn my demise.  My
heart raced a quarter mile before I finally I heard the roar of his truck
engine, as he motored off to work.  I gasped for a breath.  I had been holding
it ever since I thought Edwin had caught me spying on him.

Edwin was gone but I was frozen in place for a good ten
seconds before I took another deep breath and raced out to my car.  Edwin had
done a good job of making it look so pleasant outside.  I was not expecting to
be slammed with a wall of humidity.  Being miserably faced with the sticky heat
of summer that was locked up in my car, I jabbed my keys into the ignition and cranked
my air conditioner on full blast.  As I sped out of the driveway at record
speed, I eased my windows down, to let out the stifling heat.

With a light knock on Maddie’s door, it opened; before I had even
removed my knuckle from the hard surface.  I walked into her living area and
took a seat on the oversized blue suede chair, avoiding the mis-matched couch
with a mountain of used tissues piled up on it.  Apparently I had come in at a
bad time.  Maddie looked like she was on the brink of bawling again.

"It's gonna be okay," I said.  "You don't even
know for sure that you’re pregnant."

"I do know that my period's late and the damned tests
all say that I am.  And since when did I cry like a blubbering fool?" she squealed. 
"I am so pregnant."

"You should probably get a blood test done to be sure,
you know, before you start announcing it to everyone."

She broke down in a flurry of cries and sniffles.  "I
feel so alone," she sobbed.

I reluctantly transferred myself to the couch and rested a
hand on Maddie’s shoulder.  "You’ll tell the man who did this to you and
you won't be alone anymore," I explained, but the look on Maddie's face
told me all I needed to know.  "You
are
gonna tell the father Maddie. 
You have to.”  After a pause, "Who is the father anyway?  Please tell me
you know."

"That's the problem!"

I gasped.  "You don't know who it is?  Maddie!"

"No, Abby!  Give me some credit!  The problem is I know
exactly who it is.  It can only be one."

I thought to myself for a minute and was stunned when I came
to realize who it could be. 
Jay?  Hunter?

I gasped again.  "No."

"Yes," she cried.

"You didn't!  No protection Maddie, for God's sake… what
did you think was gonna happen?"

"It wasn't supposed to happen like that, but it just
did.  It was special, and not just for me, Hunter thought so to."

I was speechless.  I knew I was there for Maddie at this very
moment, but it was hard for me to stay on her side when Aliah was going to be
so hurt by this new information.

"The thing is, I've only talked to Hunter a couple of
times since then.  I was hoping we could go on a date, but he never really
showed any interest.  I gave him my number, but he didn’t call."

"Yeah, it's called a booty call for a reason.  You
know?  A one night stand,” I said, wishing I hadn’t used such harsh words.

"It was more than that," she stammered.

"Really, then why hasn't he called?" I asked
softly.

"Well, maybe he'll rethink that, now that I'm pregnant."

"You can hope.  But you knew that night that he and
Aliah were sort of an item."

"Whatever.  He couldn't have cared too much about her if
he spent the night with me… the whole night.  It was amazing.  He was so
sensitive to my needs."

"I'm sorry, but I really don't want to hear this.  I'm
in too deep already.  How do you expect me to keep this from Aliah... and
Edwin?  You better figure this out and quick."

"What's there to figure out?  I'm pregnant and Hunter's
the father.  I'm gonna tell him today."

"It’d probably be a good idea to go check in with your
doctor first.  Those tests have been known to be wrong.  As soon as they
confirm you're plus one, then you can tell him."

"Fine, let's go.”

"What?  I have to go to work."

"I think you can make this one exception," she
insisted sourly.

I was hesitant.  Missing work was a bad idea.  Both of us
missing work was a disastrous rumor just waiting to happen.

"Please Abby?  I don't want to go alone."

"Well, you really shouldn't have to do this alone,” I said,
feeling sorry for her.  “I guess I can tell Owen I'll be a little late."

Maddie immediately leapt from the couch for the kitchen
phone, knocking tissues all over the floor.  She dialed her Doctor's number, as
I rummaged through my purse for my cell.  I dialed Owen's direct line and his
voicemail picked up immediately.  I couldn't fathom the thought of stretching
the truth anymore, even if only on voicemail, so I dialed 0 and my call was
transferred to reception.

"They can take me right at 9:00," Maddie chimed, as
she returned from the kitchen.

Taylor's phone rang and rang until her voicemail finally
picked up.  I left her a message, begging a favour, that she tell Owen I have
an appointment and I'll be a little late.

The doctor’s office turned out to be only a few short blocks
from our office.  That made me incredibly anxious.  I prayed that no one from
my office would see my car parked in the small, open parking lot.  That would
cause even more trouble for us both.  I followed Maddie into the small, white
entrance, and down the long, white corridor.  The waiting room was crowded but,
to my surprise, when Maddie walked up to the secretary, she was welcomed right
in to an examination room.

"I'll wait out here," I said, as Maddie looked back
to me expectantly.

"Please come in Abby.  I'll owe you big," she
begged.

Not wanting to fight with a pregnant lady, I agreed.  "Fine." 
I sighed and followed her down the short, narrow hall to her room.  The nurse
smiled at both of us warmly and thoughtfully closed the door.  We both took a
seat in one of the grey padded seats.

"I changed my mind.  You should tell Hunter now, so I
don't have to do all this crap," I said sarcastically.

"It's a little late for that I would say.  Seriously
Abby, I'm lucky to have a friend as good as you."

"Sorry, but I have to admit, I was a little surprised
that you called me," I admitted.

"Well this situation is a little sticky.  Not exactly
something I want to call and tell my mother about… or even Sam for that matter. 
She wouldn't know how to deal.  You really are the only one that knows the
atmosphere from that night… you understand what happened," she said, dragging
me deeper into the mess.

"What do you mean exactly?  I knew you hung out with
Hunter and went for a walk on the beach.  The only reason anyone thinks
otherwise is because he was in your room the next morning.  I just figured it
out for certain last night, when Ally called him out on it and he didn't deny
having slept with you."

"I guess I just felt like you would be more understanding. 
I guess I was wrong."

"Hey!  I'm here aren't I?"

"Yes.  And I thank you for that."

There was a light knock on the door.  A short, large woman
with fluffy, plain brown hair, and a long white overcoat entered the room.  "Maddison!
 What brings you in today my dear?"

"I'm pregnant," she replied, cutting to the chase.

Her doctor chuckled heartily at her expression.  "Congratulations."

"Thank you.  My friend just thought it would be a good
idea to get my blood tested.  Can you do that now?" she asked, foot to the
metal.

"Absolutely.  But first I'll need a urine sample.  You
can take this cup to the washroom and I'll have a nurse prep you for the blood
work.  We can take a look at the calendar when you get back."

Maddie's mouth frowned and her eyes were empty, sad.

I directed a quizzical look at her to amuse her.  "You
can do that yourself," I teased, and her doctor chuckled heartily again.

Maddie sheepishly left the room and suddenly I was very alone
with her doctor.  Without warning, as the doctor scribbled feverishly on
Maddie's chart, a hit of jealousy knocked me over my skull.  Dizzy and
confused, I tried to push those thoughts aside, but it was all too much for me. 
Sitting in the smallish exam room, I realized I was a selfish, jealous beoch. 
In an attempt to be a half decent friend to Maddie, I tagged along with her,
but never did I imagine that it would drum up this response from my
subconscious.  It's no secret among my close friends that I want a baby.  Prior
to our Southwind trip, it was all I could think about. 
Find a man. 
Convince him to marry me.  Demand a baby.

It seemed all too easy in my mind, but I didn't consider the
latest development.  Edwin.  Though I've tried to find a good time to talk to
Edwin about having children, I’ve learned that no time is ever a good time.  This
put a whole new spin on things.  Now that Maddie is going to have Hunter's
child, I would have a situation to compare to. 
No more waiting.  It's time.

Maddie’s doctor had just finished reading her own chicken
scratch and was smiling at me across the desk.

"Abigail?"

I shook my head confused.              "Huh? 
What?" I replied.

Maddie was not only sitting next to me, but announcing the
news.  "Did you hear that?  I'm due April 2nd!  Can you believe it?"
Maddie squealed overjoyed.